zipernowsky



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. ZIPERNOWSKY.

TRAMWAY WITH VERTICAL TRACK.

No. 415,991. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

WITNESSES: llVl/EIVTOH (No Model.) 3 sheets sheet 2. G. ZIPERNOWSKY.

i TRAMWAY WITH VERTIGALTRAGK.

No. 415,991. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

- IE 5.5.511. Fi -.3.

WITNESSES: ;//VVENTOR N. Firms Photo-Lithographer, wammm n. v

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. i C. ZIPERNOWSKY.

TRAMWAY WITH VERTIGAL TRAGK.

No. 415,991. Patented Nov. 26, 1889.

N. PETERS. Phuio-Lilhcgraphcr. Washington, uv c4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ZIPERNOVSKY, OF BUDA-PESTH, AUSTRIA-HUNGARY.

TRAMWAY WITH VERTICAL TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 415,991, dated November 26, 1889..

Application filed June 2'7, 1889. Serial No. 315,846. (No model.)

To all whom it nay concern,-

Be it known that LOHARLEs ZIPERNOWSKY, a subject of the King of Hungary, and a resident of Buda-Pesth, Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tramways with Vertical Tracks, of

which the following is a specification.

The attempts to introduce a cheaper and more simple device for street and other railways in place of the usual lines with horizontal tracks-that is, parallel rails at a considerable distance apart in the same horizontal planehave led to the construction of the well-known roads with single elevated railtrac'ks and hanging vehicles. Although by this construction the breaking up of the pavement is limited to those points where the supporting-pillars have to be' mounted, and though the cost is therefore somewhat diminished, nevertheless the numerous pillars which this construction requires are a hinderance to traffic in the streets, in addition to spoiling the appearance of the latter.

The present invention has for its object the construction of a street or other railway with vertical track, having no supporting constructions above the street-level at all, and of a width which is, with normal vehicles, much less than with any tramway with a horizontal track of the narrowest gage. In the street-level there are only to be seen the head of a single rail or the heads of a pair of parallel rails close together and a narrow slot in the ground along the lines of rails. The principle of this tramway is that all the wheels upon which the weight of the vehicle rests run upon one line or upon two lines, whose distance apart is, however, so small that the stability of the car is not secured by it. The vehicle receives stability by means of suitable parts of construction bearing against leading or guiding side tracks, which are arranged above or below the line of rails 'upon which the vehicle runs. 7 It is for this reason that I speak of my invention as a tramway with vertical track, the track-rails and guiding-rails being vertically one over the other instead of the ordinary arrangement of a pair of rails arranged in the same horizontal plane. These guiding-rails are always placed within a suitably-constructed conduit or channel below the street-level, into which the said parts of the under frame of the vehicle project through the above-mentioned slot.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side View, partly in section, of a railway and vehicle in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an end View with the conduit and rails in section. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional elevation through the vehicle and conduit; and Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, are views of modifications.

The body K of the car rests with its under frame, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, by means of the cross-pieces T upon the running-wheels L L'four in the present instance-which are judiciously placed oblique and in pairs, with their lower parts converging in order to transfer the horizontal pressure resulting from unsymmetrical load and the swaying motions of the car to the double rails S S, upon which the vehicle runs. From the frame strong arms A project through the slot Z into the channel or conduit N. These arms, rigidly attached to the frame, carry at their lower ends several loading or guiding wheels or rolls F, which bear against the side or guiding rails E E, and thus keep the vehicle in a vertical position. If, for instance, the load on the right side of the vehicle is greater, the guiding-wheels on the left side will bear against the left side rail E, and vice versa.

Both the chief, or what, for convenience, I will term track, rails S S and the guidingrails E F. rest upon trestles or yokes B, which are sunk into the ground at a suitable distance apart. Between these trestles or yokes the conduit is suitably constructed for instance, built up of bricks with a cement plastering. Into the conduit any suitable apparatus can be placed in any well-known manner. If, for instance, the vehicles are to be driven by electric motors, the conduit offers sufficient space for the electrical feeding leads or conductors, the contact-maker passing through the slot in the top of the conduit. If the motive power is to be applied to the vehicles by means of cables or chains, these cables or chains will move within the conduit into which the grips project. Moreover, the vehicles can, without any essential change in the construction of the line of tracks or vehicle, also be moved Lil.

by any living or inanimate motive power arranged above or below the loaded vehicles or forming separate locomotives. 1

Various combinations or modifications ma be formed from the elements of the present invention, either in the track rail or rails upon which the vehicle runs, the guidingrails, the running-wheels, or guiding-wheels. Some of these modifications are represented in Figs. 4 to 7.

In Fig. 4 the rail upon which the vehicle runs and the guiding-rail are united. In this figure there is also shown an arrangement of the wheels so that they do not cross but roll upon the exterior edges of the railheads.

Instead of the doublerails S S, there may be used a single rail S, such as shown in Fig. 5. The slot Z lies in this case at one side of the rail. The guiding-rails may be secured to the wall of the conduit or in any other suitable manner within the conduit, or may also be formed by the foot of the track-rail S, as is shown in this figure.

Figs. 6 and 7 show arrangements in which the guiding-wheels F run above each other instead of alongside each other, as is the case with the'arrangements shown in the rest of the figures. The difference between the two, constructions represented in these figures is the same as between Fig. 4: and Fig. 2. In Figs. 2 and 7 one of the guiding-wheels will bear against the left-side guiding-rail if the vehicle tends to turn over to the right, while in Figs. 4 and 6- it is the right-hand guiding-J rail which receives the pressure, and vice VGI'SEL.

carrying a roll or rolls to run on the guiding railor rails, substantially as described.

2. A street or other railway having a slotted conduit, a track rail or rails at the streetlevel close to the slot, and a guiding rail or rails within the conduit below the track-rails, in combination with a vehicle having wheels to run on the track rail or rails to support the weight of the vehicle, and an arm or arms projecting from the car into the conduit, and having rolls to run on the guidingrails to keep the vehicle in a vertical position, all substantially as described.

3. A street or other railway having a track rail or rails, a slotted conduit, and a guiding rail or rails within the conduit, the track and guiding rails being one above the other, in combination with a Vehicle having oblique converging wheels to run upon the track rail or rails, and rolls to run upon the guiding-rails, all substantially as specified.

4. A street or other railway having a slotted conduit, a track rail or rails at the streetlevel close to the slot, and a guiding rail or rails below within the conduit, in combination with a vehicle having oblique converging wheels to run on the track-rails, and an arm or arms projecting from the car into the conduit and having rolls to run on the guiding-rails, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHAS. ZIPERNOWSKY.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM MARIAssY, JOHN ScHvEHLoR. 

